Keynote Address By

Y.B Dato Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Defence Minister Of Malaysia
In Conjunction With
The Launching Of Books On Terrorism
2.30 p.m, 27 July 2009
UiTM Hotel, Shah Alam

Bismillahirahmanirrahim
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabaraka-tuh
and a very good afternoon to all
Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Dato Seri Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Abu
Shah

The Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi MARA

(UiTM)
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and
Gentlemen
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the
Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Ibrahim
Shah, for giving me the honour to grace the
official launching of the Universitys publication
works this afternoon, here in Shah Alam.
I would say that this is indeed a double honour,
for us at the Ministry of Defence, as, I understand
that the Policy Division of MINDEF is very much
part of the publication venture for all the three
books to be launched today, namely, P ost-

Attack M anagem ent , M aritim e Terrorism

and Urban Terrorism .
I have also been informed that these books are
the culmination of conference papers, presented
at three seminars of similar themes, organised by
MINDEF, in collaboration with UiTM, in 2004,
2005 and 2006, respectively.
It is heartening to note that MINDEF through its
Policy Division has forged and sustained this
collaborative linkage with the countrys largest
university, and thus directly contributes towards
the advancement of knowledge and the pursuit of
academic excellence, particularly on the theme of
terrorism: a subject very much discussed and
extensively delved into, the world over, and one
which has affected all of us one way or another
3

whatever our creed or colour, however young or

old, whichever continent we hail from, however
close or distant we are to matters that pertain to
it, however deep or shallow our understanding of
the issue.
It cannot be denied that terrorism is a curse of
the modern world, yet it is a blight we cannot
ignore, it is one scourge which touches us to the
very core, as humans and as citizens of the world.
I believe that in spite of our diversity in political
perspective and in ideology it is only natural
that we empathise with those who are directly,
and most affected by acts of terrorism.
Hence, I must commend the Institute of ASEAN
Studies and Global Affairs, UiTM, or INSPAG, and
the Policy Division of the Ministry of Defence
4

Malaysia, for their initiative in publishing this

compilation of seminar papers for the benefit of
fellow citizens and others with interest in the
issue of terrorism. And, by so doing, you have all
contributed

towards

the

larger

agenda

of

engaging the critical mass on the issue of

terrorism, besides adding on to our collection of
reference materials on the subject matter.
Yours is an effort which serves as a reminder to
all us, lest we abandon the cause of countering
acts

of

terrorism.

Looking

at

current

developments with the recent bombing of JW

Marriott and Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta on July 17 it
is imperative that we resist the human tendency
of falling into complacency when there is a lull
after a passage of time with such acts of violence.

Indeed, there is the need to understand the

subject of terrorism for those who dont, and
strengthen that understanding for those who do.
And now that academia has a pride of place
within

the

MINDEF

fraternity

through

the

establishment of the National Defence University

of Malaysia, I hope this academic endeavour will
pave the way for even more collaborative
initiatives of the same nature, in the future.
I would think that it takes great pain to publish
one, what more three books, but I am sure the
sacrifice would pay off when we see that the
outcome of that sacrifice will ultimately contribute
to the betterment of the community at large.

In fact, I am confident that these books will serve

us well as relevant reference material for different
groups of readership, particularly those with
interest in the first-hand experience of officials
and investigators, besides the expert opinions of
people knowledgeable on the issue. I understand
that one of the books has been used by cohorts in
UiTM

as

supplementary

text

in

their

co-

curriculum.
Ladies and Gentlemen
In different parts of the world, a great deal of
time, effort and resources have been spent to
explore, examine and resolve the issue of
terrorism the endless definitions; the causes
and effects; the profiling of perpetrators; the
targets identified; the gathering of intelligence on
7

the modes of attack; the states action and

reaction;

the

political

and

socio-economic

implications of such acts; and most of all, the

impact of terrorism on the sustenance of global
peace.
Indeed, terrorism does affect relations between
countries and among different communities of the
world. It does impact on religious tolerance or the
lack of it. And, sadly, it perpetuates the
stereotyping of citizens of the world, according to
race, religion, region or origin.
Controversies and differences in stance are in
abundance when it comes to public rhetoric on
the subject of terrorism. But all is not lost,
because many among us whether at Track 1,
Track 2 or Track 3 level consistently work
8

towards building bridges, forging solidarity and

identifying commonalities to address the issue of
terrorism, and take up the challenges of making
ours a world worth living.
The publication of these three books on terrorism,
and the organisation of the series of seminars on
the same theme are good examples of efforts in
that direction. Both efforts can be likened to the
small steps taken in the proverbial journey of a
thousand miles.
This is especially fitting when these small steps
covered a wide range of terrorism-related topics,
presented by speakers from countries across
continents,

namely

Malaysia,

Indonesia,

Singapore, Japan, Australia, Spain, the United

Kingdom, and the United States. For some, their
first-hand narration of the aftermath of such
9

horrendous attacks in places like Bali, London and

Madrid, although heart-wrenching, serves as food
for thought in our quest to make this world a
better place to live.
Ladies and Gentlemen
In Malaysia, we stand on the same side of other
world

nations

terrorism.

Our

in

countering

position

on

the

threat

terrorism

of
or

insurgency, for that matter has been put in

place long before the World Trade Centre tragedy
of September 11, 2001, because Malaysias
prolonged encounter with elements of terrorism
made its mark even before the advent of World
War II.

10

Our actions were in response to a proliferation of

the communist ideology on our shores. And it
appeared in the form of the Communist Party of
Malaya or the CPM, which advocated the end of
legitimate rule through illegitimate means.
There are many differences, and as many
similarities, between acts of terrorism of yonder
years and those of today. But however wide the
differences, or however close the similarities, the
years of experience in countering terrorism in our
own backyard, provide us with the tradecraft to
expect the unexpected; to walk in their shoes, yet
remain ahead of their steps; and to not lose track
of our raison detre, and that is, to ensure that
the nation enjoy the peace, security and stability
they so deserve.

11

However, having said that, I acknowledge the fact

that not all the experiences and strategies of the
distant past can be successfully applied in
addressing

the

complexities

of

present-day

insurgency, which occur in the context of our

borderless world, the era of cyberspace, the
sophistication of the Internet, and the dawn of
state-of-the-art technologies.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Some other countries in the world too have had
to deal with terrorism for long periods in the past.
In the 1950s, we had the rise of non-state
terrorism played by non-state actors fighting their
political cause. Among them had been the Irish
Republican

Army

or

the

separatists, and the Zionists.

12

IRA,

the

Basque

At that point in

time, their agenda was to fight for independence

from what they claimed to be oppressive power.
At about the same period, the world had also
been witness to the upheavals in parts of West
Asia, namely, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq,
involving ethnic Kurds who had been and are still
seeking national autonomy since the early 20th
century. To achieve their goal of establishing an
independent Kurdish state, the separatist group
has resorted to terrorist tactics, and their struggle
continues even today.
The 1970s saw the beginning of terrorism
acquiring an international faade, through the
hijacking of airplanes as a common tactic among
terrorist groups to gain world attention to their
cause. It was during such a time that acts of
13

terrorism were perceived as symbolic displays of

political grievances by the aggrieved against
alleged injustice inflicted on the community. The
killing of Israeli athletes by Palestinians during the
Munich Olympics in 1972 was a case in point.
And from then on, terrorism became one of the
main international security agenda. From the
1990s onwards, terrorism has taken on a new
meaning and has attracted a new brand of
proponents,

who

associate

themselves

with

religion, and fight in the name of religion, mostly

linked to Islam; although other religions also have
their share of terrorists and extremists, including
Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. Among those
groups which link their struggle to the Islamic
creed are Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and
Jemaah Islamiyah.
14

However,

in

spite

of

the

link

that

these

perpetrators profess to have with the religion with

regards to their struggle, the means of attaining
their goals do not reflect the essence of Islam,
which promotes peace and advocates respect for
the brotherhood of mankind.
Ladies and Gentlemen
The historical perspective brought forth earlier in
my address reflects the very nature of terrorism:
it transcends national boundaries; it appears in
diverse forms and manifestations; it may be
driven by religion yet apathetic to religious
conviction. In many ways, terrorism does not
suggest

permanent

15

pattern;

it

is

more

influenced by politics but hides behind a religious

camouflage.
In short, we can safely say that terrorism is an act
of crime against mankind. It violates the rules of
modern warfare as specified under the United
Nations Convention, while its actors play on
media sympathy to gain support for their cause
and sway public empathy to their side.
Ladies and Gentlemen
If the past saw us solving insurgency problems at
home using domestic resources, the present
demands that we work in tandem with neighbours
and friends beyond national boundaries, and
going across continents. If the past saw us
dealing with insurgency in isolation, the present
16

demands that we make international security and

trans-boundary crime, our business.
So, the order of the day, insofar as counterterrorism

and

inter-agency

cooperation

are

concerned, is to strengthen the sharing of

intelligence and consolidate strategic alliances to
fight the global war against terrorism.
The Ministry of Defence advocates any initiative
to enhance inter-agency cooperation at home,
in the region and beyond to battle the scourge
of terrorism, while maintaining our independence
on matters that pertain to national interests. The
series of seminars on terrorism organised by
MINDEF and the cost-sharing role we play in
the production of the three books is a
testament of our earnestness in answering the
17

global call to avert the hijacking of the right to

live among ordinary citizens, by highlighting
numerous tragic repercussions derived from the
heinous acts of terrorism.
Ladies and Gentlemen
In the case of Malaysia, not only is MINDEF
mindful of the threats of terrorism targeting
critical

infrastructure,

but

also

heedful

of

intimidation that would impinge on the countrys

waterways in particular, the strategic passage
through the Straits of Malacca. Malaysia is also
fully aware of the need to address the nontraditional security issues such that our defence
policy in becoming increasingly intense vis--vis
non-traditional threats posed by transnational
crime.
18

In effect, the intensity of these non-traditional

security challenges has driven governments in the
region to revisit their respective defence policy,
and to fortify their military might, so as to be
better prepared in meeting the challenges of nontraditional threats. For these governments, the
answer lies in the adoption of the total defence
concept, involving all levels of the citizenry,
besides the conventional dependence on the
national military outfit.
Singapore and the Philippines are two ASEAN
neighbours which have embraced this concept.
Malaysia has also joined the ranks of countries
concerned over their national security through
the concept of HANRUH, which is the acronym for

19

Pertahanan Menyeluruh the Malay translation

for the term total defence.
Although the concept was already in practice
among European nations during the Cold War era,
the concept of HANRUH is relevant to multifarious
Malaysia, as it journeys through the path of wider
democratisation in various aspects of living, in
synch with our aspiration to be a developed
nation by the year 2020. Introduced in 1986,
HANRUH has since been accepted as part of our
national security agenda.
In the context of national security, through
HANRUH, the government has outlined the
primary

objective

of

our

national

security

perspective, which is to protect and defend the

countrys interests, in accordance with Malaysias
20

sovereignty, the integrity of the Federation, and

economic prosperity.
The concept is even more relevant now than
before, in light of the concept of 1Malaysia as
introduced by our present Prime Minister, Yang
Amat Berhormat Dato Seri Najib, when he took
over the countrys stewardship in April this year.
In so doing, Dato Seri Najib who has held the
Defence Minister portfolio over two separate
terms has shown the way forward for us to
speak in one voice as Malaysians, to dream the
same dream for Malaysia, to strive far and wide
for the nation, to enrich our pasture for a better
future for the nation, and to strengthen our spirit
as one nation.

21

Although HANRUH is a process that requires

continuous commitment and concerted efforts by
various

government

agencies,

involving

participation of the public at large, it is imperative

that Malaysians embrace the concept in toto to
ensure

that

we

progress

and

prosper

as

1Malaysia.
In summing up the concept of HANRUH, it is vital
that the citizens take cognisant of its underlying
principle of broadening the responsibility of
national defence; that is, the role of defending
the nation lies not entirely on the shoulders of the
armed forces, but also those of all Malaysians.
The concept spells out the need to engage all
citizens and provide them an avenue to work
hand in glove towards attaining the same
objectives when addressing issues of common
22

interest, especially this particular issue which has

brought me here today to share my thoughts with
and, that is, on terrorism.
Ladies and Gentlemen
On the national front, Malaysia has put in place
the

strategy

and

mechanism

that

provide

guidelines to facilitate emergency response in the

event of terrorist attacks. These are clearly
stipulated under the National Security Council
Directive 18, commonly known as MKN18, which
involves

the

mobilisation

of

government

machinery.
And, along with it is the coming into play of the
three Cs, that is: cooperation, coordination and
continuation, which we have inherently adopted
in coming up with the series of seminars on
23

terrorism, from where contents of the three books

are derived.
Nevertheless, it is not our attention to lead when
dwelling on the subject matter, but merely to
partake in the role of major player in matters that
concern

inter-agency

cooperation,

more

commonly referred to as Civil-Military Cooperation

or CIMIC.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Allow me to delve into one of the books, entitled

Maritime Terrorism not for any other reason,

but for the fact that the organisation of the
seminar in 2005 coincided with the issue of crime
in the Straits of Malacca, which was labelled as a
war zone by Lloyds of London. As a result, the

24

cost of shipping insurance sky-rocketed for liners

plying the route, which in turn affected trading.
Hence, it was to the credit of the Policy Division,
the Ministry of Defence and Universiti Teknologi
MARA as coorganisers, that the Seminar on

Maritime Terrorism and the Straits of Malacca

discussed

at

length

the

then

prevailing

complexities vis--vis the issue of security and

armed robberies along the Straits of Malacca
waterways, which has been a popular route for
international navigation over the centuries.
After the storm in the teacup created by Lloyds, it
was a relief to know that there was no link
between the problem of armed robberies in the
Straits of Malacca and the act of terrorism, which
I would say is unlike the case of piracy in
25

Somalia. But even so, we must not discount the

possibility of such crime taking place considering
its strategic location. All it takes is ones desire to
make public a political statement for the Straits of
Malacca to become target not only of terrorist
element, but also sensational armchair news
reporting.
For instance, when Lloyds painted a negative
picture of the Straits in 2005 through its report on
38 cases of armed robberies, it was solely based
on the figure for 2004. What was missing from
Lloyds report was the steep decrease in the
incidence of armed robberies in subsequent years
with only 12 cases reported in 2005, 11 in 2006,
seven in 2007 and only two cases in 2008.

26

Although

Lloyds

eventually

withdrew

their

negative takes on security in the Straits of

Malacca, it left the littoral states of, Malaysia and
Singapore with an uphill task of undoing the
damage done through the report from the
insurance giant, to regain the confidence of the
international community.
Ladies and Gentlemen
While it is true that there is a need for a
wholesome domestic mechanism in facing the
threat of terrorism, the fact remains that there is
only so much one country can do on its own.
Although the financial implication of security has
always been among the top priorities of many
governments, it is not unlimited.

27

In

modern

warfare,

non-traditional

security

threats will always be the main concern. For

Malaysia, the issue is indeed of immediate
concern, in spite of the fact that our country does
not foresee any possible conventional external
threat in the near future, having progressed and
prospered with the binding concept of Prosper
Thy Neighbour. Such assurance is also derived
from our policy of fostering friendship through
extra-regional cooperation.
We have come a long way by adopting the ASEAN
way. Further strengthening this sense of security
is the establishment of a regional forum through
the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM)
which subsumes under the ASEAN Security
Cooperation.

28

It is under this pillar that various military-based

forums are established to address the issues of
non-traditional security threats and transnational
crime, with a focus on acts of terrorism. Such
regional platforms would also enhance intermilitary

cooperation

among

ASEAN

Member

Countries.
Apart from the regional structure, the Ministry of
Defence

will

continue

to

enhance

bilateral

cooperation and strategic alliance with countries

outside of ASEAN, including the United States, the
United Kingdom, Australia and China particularly
in the area of capacity building.
Ladies and gentlemen

29

Much as we are clear on the military role assumed

in the event of a terrorist attack, as stipulated in
the National Security directives, it would provide
us the edge to continue engaging in dialogues
and discourses such as we do today in the
quest for continuous improvement. After all, the
nature of transnational crime is non-traditional,
and when matters are of non-traditional nature,
they are unpredictable; they are out of the
common; and they are out of the usual.
It is thus based on such premises that the
Ministry of Defence will adopt an open concept to
encourage fresh ideas and welcome views and
perspectives from other government agencies or
the private sector, in the hope that this pooling of
resources and such meeting of minds would
empower us to pursue the ongoing efforts of
30

combating

transnational

crime

and

hence

contributing towards the elimination of terrorism

from our midst.
Ladies and Gentlemen
The business of security is neither cheap nor
easy. The extent of harm if security is left
unchecked is neither trivial nor easily undone. But
with close cooperation and a better appreciation
of a common stand at national and regional
level the economic implications would be easier
managed when it comes to managing terrorism.
On that note, we welcome a helping hand from
our foreign friends in support of our fight against
terrorism. What we lack in wisdom, we make up
with our eagerness to learn from the wise. What
31

we lack in knowledge, we make up with our

sincerity in sharing our past experiences in
managing terrorist elements. What we lack in
ideas, we make up with our desire to contribute
towards a better world in our war against
terrorism.
My wish is for us in the Ministry of Defence
Malaysia

to

maintain

the

partnership

with

Universiti Teknologi MARA on matters of common

interest, on matters that would move us closer
towards realising the concept of 1Malaysia.

32